Thursday, March 3, 2016

The
Beast on the Bay is a 10-mile course, so you should be able to run a minimum of
5 miles, preferably 7 miles comfortably, without stopping. Be sure to track
your training runs with distance covered over a given period of time. I don’t
believe in running without knowing how far you have gone. A number of running
plans out there will have you just getting used to running for time and not
being concerned with the distance you’ve covered. That’s like telling someone
who wants to begin strength training, to just start lifting weights and not
take note of how many pounds their using. You don’t know where you’re starting
and therefore, don’t know how to get where you want to be. A basic running
program consists of four running days per week, with the longest distance on
the fourth day. Rest days in the following table are meant for running only. If
you can already run 7 miles comfortably, then Day 1 should be 4 miles and the
end of the 12th week should be at least 10 miles and as much as 13.1
miles. The more you run, the better. Cross training (biking, swimming) and
strength training can be done on those days instead. Here is a beginner’s 12-week
running plan for the Beast on the Bay:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

1 mile

Rest

2 miles

1 mile

Rest

2 miles

Rest

1

Rest

2

1

Rest

2

Rest

1

Rest

2

1

Rest

2

Rest

2

Rest

2.5

1.5

Rest

3

Rest

2

Rest

3

2

Rest

3

Rest

3

Rest

4

3

Rest

4

Rest

3

Rest

4

3

Rest

4

Rest

3

Rest

4

3

Rest

5

Rest

3

Rest

4

3

Rest

5

Rest

4

Rest

5

3

Rest

5

Rest

4

Rest

5

4

Rest

6

Rest

4

Rest

5

4

Rest

7

Rest

The beach consists of uneven and variable
terrain, which will stress muscles, ligaments, and tendons that you may have
not used in such a way. So, it’s imperative to incorporate a lower body
strength training program to prepare for both the terrain of the beach and the
mileage you will be doing. Lower body exercises should be performed 2 – 3 times
per week, with a minimum of 48 hours between sessions. Running is a single-legged
activity, so it’s important to include single-leg exercises in your routine.
The exercises should use muscle actions involving all three planes of movement
(sagittal, frontal, and transverse). The sagittal plane involves forward and
backward movements, the frontal plane involves side to side movements, and the
transverse plane involves rotational movements. Here’s a list of lower body
exercises that will support and improve your running program:

Both
Legs

Single-Leg

Deadlift

Goblet Squat

Squat

Standing Adduction

Kettlebell Swings

Hip Abduction

TRX Pistol Squat

Standing Abduction

Walking Lunges

Hip Adduction

Leg Press

Straight-Leg Raise

Front Squat

Band Walks

Glute Bridge

Hip Extension

Glute Bridge

Monster Walks

RDL w/ Kettlebell

Step-Up w/ Wood Chop

Rotational Squat

Knee Tucks w/ Sliders

RDL Cable Machine

Turkish Get-Up

Straight-Leg Calf Press

Flexed-Leg Calf Press

Mountain Climbers

Box Step-Up

Please feel free to ask me any
questions. Remember, every program should be designed for the individual, so
some movements may need to be modified.